Is "suppressing one's desires" the way to blissfulness?

Is "suppressing one's desires" the way to become blissful?

Question -

We have a deep rooted desire is to be blissful. When we try to find bliss, some saints/scriptures say that we should first give up worldly desires and then worship God. Yet other saints/scriptures say that if we worship God, then the worldly desires will automatically vanquish. Both of these statements seem logical and yet contradict each other. But how can both of these be right?

To complicate matters further, Shri Maharaj ji says that from creator Brahma to an insignificant ant everybody desires for happiness. When even the creator Brahma wants bliss, how can we give up the desire of bliss?

Answer -

From the previous Edition, we have learned Why does the mind create desires? and that desires called āsakti (आसक्ति) are dangerous since they are the root cause of all misery. So, if we stop desiring then the problem is solved. Wow, what a discovery! Some wordsmiths have concocted phrases like “āsakti hai to jā bhī sakatī hai” (since desires are created they can be removed too).

Scriptures assert the same -

यदा सर्वे प्रमुच्यन्ते कामा येऽस्य हृदि श्रिताः।
अथ मर्त्योऽमृतो भवत्यत्र ब्रह्म समश्नुते ॥

कथोपनिषत् ३-२-३-१४

yadā sarve pramucyante kāmā ye'sya hṛdi śritāḥ |
atha martyo'mṛto bhavatyatra brahma samaśnute ||

kathopaniṣat 3.2.3.14

“When the desires that dwell in the heart go away, the ordinary being becomes immortal and attains God”

उपासते पुरुषं ये ह्यकामास्ते शुक्रमेदति वर्तन्ति धीराः ।

मुण्डकोपनिषत् ३-२-१

upāsate puruṣaṃ ye hyakāmāḥ te śukramedati vartanti dhīrāḥ ।

muṇḍakopaniṣat 3-2-1

“A person, who does not attach his mind to any object except God, through devotion attains freedom from Maya.”

यो न कामयते किञ्चित् ब्रह्मभूयाय कल्पते॥

महाभारत

yo na kāmayate kiñcit brahmabhūyāya kalpate॥

mahābhārata

“One who leaves all desires becomes Brahm.”

When Lord Narsingh asked Prahlad to ask for a boon, Prahlad reminded Lord Narsingh

विमुञ्चति यदा कामान् मानवो मनसिस्थितान्।
तर्ह्येव पुण्डरीकाक्ष! भगवत्त्वाय कल्पते ॥

भाग ७.१०.९

vimuñcati yadā kāmān mānavo manasi sthitān
tarhy eva puṇḍarīkākṣa bhagavattvāya kalpate

bhā 7.10.9

“O my Lord, when a human being is able to give up all the material desires in his mind, he becomes eligible to possess wealth and opulence like Yours.” In simple terms Prahald told Lord Narsingh that the one who has no desires, becomes God-like.

Lord Narsingh and Bhakt Prahlad

These verses are unanimously asserting that if desires are forsaken, a human may attain the status of God.

The Geeta is also indicating the same -

विहाय कामान्यः सर्वान्पुमांश्चरति निःस्पृहः
निर्ममो निरहङ्कारः स शान्तिमधिगच्छति ॥

गीता २-७१

vihāya kāmān yaḥ sarvān pumānśh charati niḥspṛihaḥ
nirmamo nirahankāraḥ sa śhāntim adhigachchhati

gītā 2.71

“That person, who gives up all material desires and lives free from a sense of greed, proprietorship, and egoism, attains perfect peace.”

The Supreme Lord said:

प्रजहाति यदा कामान्सर्वान्पार्थ मनोगतान् |
आत्मन्येवात्मना तुष्ट: स्थितप्रज्ञस्तदोच्यते ||

गीता २-५५

prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān
ātmany-evātmanā tuṣhṭaḥ sthita-prajñas tadochyate

gītā 2.55

“O Parth! when one discards all selfish desires and cravings of the senses that torment the mind, and becomes satisfied in the realization of the self, such a person is said to be transcendentally situated.”

Saint Tulsidas Ji also says,

देह धरे कर यह फल भाई । भजिय राम सब काम बिदाई ॥
deha dhare kara yaha phala bhāī । bhajiya rāma saba kāma bidāī ॥

रामचरितमानस

“It is indispensable to give up all the desires to attain devotion."

Saint Tulsidas Ji

Now the question arises, how is it possible to give up desire before attainment of divine bliss. Neither ignorance nor search for happiness would cease before God realization. But it is also implicit, without cessation of desires it is impossible to realize God. So, what is the solution?

Jagadguruttam Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj, the fifth original arch-preceptor resolves this riddle very prudently. He proclaims, it is impossible for a material individual soul to abandon all the desires. So, it’s worthless to waste time in attempting to stop desiring.

So, should we keep making desires?? Yes, and to know what desires to make keep reading further...

Solution – DON'T SUPPRESS DESIRES. Instead redirect all of your desires and their effects (anger, passion, jealousy, enmity etc.) towards God. Whenever any sense desires for any object then make God the way to fulfill that desire.

Like Saint Tulasidas Ji says -

बनै तो रघुबर ते बनै, बिगरै तो भरपूरि ।
banai to raghubara te banai, bigarai to bharapūri ।

“I wish to have amity and enmity both with only my Lord Shri Ram”. Let your greed increase but only for His love.

सीताराम चरन रति मोरे, अनुदिन बढ़ै अनुग्रह तोरे ॥
sītārāma carana rati more, anudina baḍhai anugraha tore ॥

“O my Lord Ram and mother Sita, I wish my love for your lotus feet may increase every moment.”

If anger arises, be angry for this reason-

हिय फाटहु फूटहु नयन, जरहु सो तनु केहि काम । द्रवइ स्रवइ पुलकइ नहिं तुलसी सुमिरत नाम ।
hiya phāṭahu phūṭahu nayana, jarahu so tanu kehi kāma । dravai sravai pulakai nahiṃ tulasī sumirata nāma ।

“That heart ought to explode, which does not melt remembering Shri Ram. Let those eyes lose sight which do not shed tears for the Lord. And that body must be incinerated, where there are no goosebumps in remembrance of Shri Ram.”

Consider the following sentiments for fighting (bickering) with Shri Krishna –

कौन हरि हमरो तुमरो नात ।
तुम सोवत निज लोक चैन ते, हम रोवत दिन रात ।
हम पल छिन तुम बिनु नित तलफत, तुम नहिं पूछत बात।
नैन निगोरे बरजत मोरे, और-और अकुलात ।
रोम रोम नित याचत, सुन्दर श्यामल गात ।
जानि "कृपालु" कृपालु तोहिं हौं, प्रीति करी पछितात ॥

kauna hari hamaro tumaro nāta ।
tuma sovata nija loka caina te, hama rovata dina rāta ।
hama pala china tuma binu nita talaphata, tuma nahiṃ pūchata bāta।
naina nigore barajata more, aura-aura akulāta ।
roma roma nita yācata, sundara śyāmala gāta ।
jāni "kṛpālu" kṛpālu tohiṃ hauṃ, prīti karī pachitāta ॥

प्रेम रस मदिरा, दैन्य माधुरी #३८

Prem Ras Madira - Dainya Maduri #38

“O Hari! What kind of relationship do you and I have? I am bewailing for You, while You are happily sleeping in Your divine abode and are totally unconcerned about me. Being away from You I am severely anguished and You don’t even ask ‘how I am doing’. My eyes are forlorned to behold Your divine vision. Every pore of my being is getting increasingly desperate to see Your beautiful blue form. I fell in love with You since I took You to be a veritable form of grace but now I regret it.”

Here is the example of pride in spiritual side -

अस अभिमान जाइ जनि भोरे। मैं सेवक रघुपति पति मोरे॥
asa abhimāna jāi jani bhore। maiṃ sevaka raghupati pati more॥ 

“My pride is that I am a servant of Shri Ram and Shri Ram is my master. May this thought never vanish from my mind.”

Likewise, when you cook food, instead of thinking about other issues, think, I am preparing food for my beloved Shri Krishna. When a special guest visits your home, you take the guest’s food choice into consideration, and decorate your home according to his liking. Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj says, in the same way, do all your household chores, thinking about Him as if you are accomplishing these tasks for His pleasure.

The Bhagwat says about the daily routine of the Gopis, the emblem of devotes –

या दोहने वहनने मथनोपलेप प्रेंखेंखनार्भ रुदितो क्षणमार्जनादौ ।
गायन्ति चैनमनुरक्तधियोश्रुकंठ्यो, धन्या ब्रजस्त्रिय उरुक्रम चित्तायानाः ।

भा १०.४४.१५

yā dohane vahanane mathanopalepa preṃkheṃkhanārbha rudito kṣaṇamārjanādau ।
gāyanti cainamanuraktadhiyośrukaṃṭhyo, dhnyā brajstriya urukrama cittāyānāḥ ।

bhā 10.44.15

Braj Gopis constantly thinking about Shri Krishna while performing all household chores

"The gopis constantly think about Shri Krishna while performing all household chores; milking the cows, churning yogurt to make butter, cleaning their house, loving their children, etc. While performing their duties around the house, tears of love flowed from their eyes and they kept chanting His glories all the time ".

In a nutshell, we cannot give up desires until we attain divine bliss. But material desires are the prime obstacle in devotion. However, if the same desires are redirected towards the divine area of God, they become pure and are considered as devotion. Desires of material realm result in material outcomes, while desires of spiritual realm increase love for God. Hence, instead of killing your desires, redirect them towards God and cultivate them incessantly.

इच्छाओं को मारि जनि, गोविन्द राधे । हरि गुरु सेवा इच्छा और बढ़ा दे ।

राधा गोविन्द गीत

icchāoṃ ko māri jani, govinda rādhe । hari guru sevā icchā aura baḍhā de । 

Radha Govind Geet

"Don't quell your desires. Instead fuel your desire to serve Hari and Guru".

To sum it all up, Jagadguru Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj has written it beautifully in this pada (poetry)

सुनो मन एक अनोखी बात ।
काम क्रोध मद लोभ तजहु जनि, भजहु तिनहिं दिन रात।
काम इहै पै कब मोहिं मिलिहहिं, सुंदर श्यामलगात।
क्रोध इहै घनश्याम मिलन बिनु,जीवन बीत्यो जात।
रहु येहि मद मदमत्त दास हौं, स्वामी मम बलभ्रात।
रह कृपालु यह लोभ छिनहि छिन,बढ़इ प्रेम पिय शांत।।

प्रेम रस मदिरा - सिद्धान्त माधुरी #117

suno mana eka anokhī bāta ।
kāma krodha mada lobha tajahu jani, bhajahu tinahiṃ dina rāta।
kāma ihai pai kaba mohiṃ milihahiṃ, suṃdara śyāmalagāta।
krodha ihai ghanaśyāma milana binu,jīvana bītyo jāta।
rahu yehi mada madamatta dāsa hauṃ, svāmī mama balabhrāta।
raha kṛpālu yaha lobha chinahi china,baḍha़i prema piya śāṃta।।

Prem Ras Madira - Siddhant Maduri #117

O mind! Listen to some unprecedented advice. Do not give up desire, greed, anger and pride; rather use them in your devotional practice day and night. Your one-pointed desire should be - when will I meet my Beloved, Shyamsundar? Anger should take this form - my life is slipping away, without my having met Him. Pride should be of this nature - I am a servant of the Supreme Lord, the Brother of Balaram is my Master. Shri Kripalu Ji Maharaj says, “That leaves just greed and it should be of this nature - How can I increase my love for my Beloved, at each and every moment?”

काम क्रोध मद लोभ कहँ, मन मूरख! मत छोड़।
रसिक शिरोमणि श्याम ढ़िंग, दे इनको मुख मोड़॥

भक्ति शतक - ३८

Oh foolish mind, don't try to renounce desire, anger, pride, and greed. Instead, turn them towards Shyamsundar and relate these to Shyamsundar, the crest jewel of Rasik Saints. For example, if you desire something then let it be Shyamsundar’s happiness, if you get angry, get angry at your own shortcomings which act as a barrier between you and Shyamsundar, feel proud that you belong to Shyamsundar and so on.

- Jagadguruttam Shri Kripalu Maharaj
Bhakti Shatak - 38